20.  In the beginning of his reign Clau’dius gave the highest hopes of a happy continuance; but he soon began to lessen his care for the public, and to commit to his favourites all the concerns of the empire.  This prince, weak from his infancy, was little able, when called to govern, to act but under the direction of others. 21.  One of his chief instructors was his wife Messa’lina:  whose name is become a common appellation for women of abandoned character.  By her was Clau’dius urged on to commit cruelties, which he considered only as wholesome severities; while her crimes became every day more notorious, and exceeded what had ever been in Rome.  For her crimes and enormities, however, she, together with her accomplice Cai’us Sil’ius, suffered that death they both had so justly deserved.

22.  Clau’dius afterwards married Agrippi’na, the daughter of his brother German’icus, a woman of a cruel and ambitious spirit, whose only aim being to procure the succession of Nero, her son by a former marriage, she treated Claudius with such haughtiness, that he was heard to declare, when heated with wine, that it was his fate to smart under the disorders of his wives, and to be their executioner. 23.  This expression sunk deep in her mind, and engaged all her faculties to prevent the blow; she therefore resolved not to defer a deed which she had meditated long before, which was to poison him.  She for some time debated within herself in what quantity the poison should be administered, as she feared that too strong a dose would discover the treachery, while one too weak would fail of its effect. 24.  At length she determined upon a poison of singular efficacy to destroy his intellects, and yet not suddenly to terminate his life; it was given among mushrooms, a dish the emperor was particularly fond of. 25.  Shortly after he had eaten, he dropped down insensible; but this caused no alarm, as it was usual with him to eat till he had stupified his facilities, and been obliged to be carried from the table to his bed. 26.  His constitution, however, seemed to overcome the effects of the potion; but Agrippi’na resolving to make sure of him, directed a wretch of a physician, her creature, to introduce a poisoned feather into his throat, under pretence of making him vomit, and thus to dispatch him, which had its intended effect.  Thus died Clau’dius the First, the complicated diseases of whose infancy seemed to have affected and perverted all the faculties of his mind.  He was succeeded by Nero, the son of Agrippi’na by her first husband.  Nero had been adopted by Clau’dius.

Questions for Examination.

1.  What happened on the death of Caligula?

2.  Who was appointed his successor?

3.  What was the character of Claudius?

4.  How did he conduct himself?

5.  By what farther acts did he distinguish his accession?

6.  Did he adopt any warlike measure?

7.  By whom was he persuaded to interfere?